General Updates
- Emergency Funding. The Senate may take up the $37 billion disaster supplemental spending bill on Friday. The House version of the bill provided the disaster recovery funding requested by the White House, but did not include additional funding requested by the Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico delegations for additional CDBG-DR funding, among other things. Senators Cornyn (R-TX) and Cruz (R-TX) are continuing to work to add additional funding for Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands before the bill’s passage, but they note a new urgency - FEMA’s Disaster Relief Funding (DRF) account may be depleted by Monday. If the Senate adds anything new to the House-passed bill, it will have to go back to the House for another vote. The House is out of session until Monday.
- Stalled Aid. Although FEMA approved Permanent Work funding (PA Categories C-G) for Texas ten days after Harvey and for the U.S. Virgin Islands after Maria hit, FEMA has still not authorized this funding for Puerto Rico, two weeks after the Puerto Rico government’s request. About 87% of Puerto Rico still does not have power, and about 28% of the island does not have running water. Less than half of the cellphone towers are working. Puerto Rico needs additional assistance, available through the Permanent Work funding to make the major repairs necessary. The Stafford Act allows President Trump to expedite the aid process and help provide the necessary aid to rebuild.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
CAL FIRE
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 12 wildfires
- 245,000 acres burned
- 5,700 structures destroyed
- 41 deaths
- 34,000+ people remain evacuated
FEMA
- Designated Areas. On October 10, President Trump issued a Major Disaster Declaration. FEMA has designated 9 counties where state, local, and tribal governments and certain nonprofit organizations are eligible for federal cost-share funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures (PA Categories A and B). Additionally, individuals and households in 8 of these counties are eligible for disaster aid.
HURRICANE MARIA
FEMA
U.S. Virgin Islands
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 2,127 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $1,223,309 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $157,656 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $1,065,653 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
- $13,010,427 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) dollars obligated**
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
**Funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.
Puerto Rico
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 138,806 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $75,110,041 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $10,128,957 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $64,981,084 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
- $336,240,256 Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated** all of which are for Emergency Work (Categories A-B)
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
**Funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA's final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.
HURRICANE IRMA
FEMA
Florida
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 691,329 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $776,130,677 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $524,037,495 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $252,093,183 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
Georgia
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 8,119 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $10,132,384 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $7,195,479 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $2,936,905 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
- Extended Deadline for PA. FEMA has extended the deadline for Georgia state and local governments, and certain nonprofits, to submit Requests for Public Assistance. The new deadline is November 14. The Public Assistance Grant Program provides federal reimbursement of debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repair or replacement of public infrastructure.
U.S. Virgin Islands
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 2,514 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $2,037,309 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $704,260 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $1,333,049 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
- $25,056,945 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) dollars obligated**
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
**Funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.
Puerto Rico
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 492 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $1,146,427 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $595,207 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $551,220 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
South Carolina
- Major Disaster Declared. President Trump has approved a Major Disaster Declaration (DR-4346) for 16 counties in South Carolina. This declaration makes federal funding on a cost-sharing basis available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments as well as certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities. Warren J. Riley has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations for the affected area. FEMA has created a webpage with information for this disaster.
HURRICANE HARVEY
FEMA
Texas
- By the Numbers: (as of 10/17)
- 330,316 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
- $1,192,045,324 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
- $924,923,081 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
- $267,122,242 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
- $400,362,511 Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated** all of which are for Emergency Work (Categories A-B)
*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.
**Funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA's final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.
- Additional Eligible Counties. Individuals and households in Grimes and Caldwell counties can now register for disaster assistance from FEMA. This brings the total number of Texas counties designated for Individual Assistance (IA) to 41.
Louisiana
- Major Disaster Declared. President Trump has approved a Major Disaster Declaration (DR-4345) for areas affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. In nine counties, federal funding on a cost-sharing basis is available to eligible local governments and nonprofit organizations as well as the state government for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities. Another 11 counties are eligible for federal cost-sharing for emergency work. Federal cost-sharing funding for hazard mitigation is available statewide. William J. Doran III is the Federal Coordinating Officer for the affected area. FEMA has created a webpage for the disaster.